1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a harness used to distribute the weight and, thus provide the operator with more comfort when operating equipment and in particular, to a quick-release mechanism for disconnecting the harness from the equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
A harness provides weight distribution to the shoulder and arms, instead of the arms alone, and thus increases the comfort level for someone operating mechanical, electrical, or gas-powered equipment. For example, in order to keep the cutting end of a string trimmer distanced from its operator's lower extremities, a string trimmer's handle is positioned near the center of its shaft. The centered handle requires the operator to provide the needed labor to keep the cutting end positioned the proper distance from the ground. A shoulder harness provides support for the operator.
In a typical arrangement, a snaphook located at one end of a harness connects to a clasp on the equipment. On a string trimmer, the clasp is located above the string trimmer's centered handle. The harness is released when the operator depresses the proper segment on the snaphook and then disconnects the snaphook from the clasp.
However, mechanical, electrical or gas-powered equipment can malfunction. In gas-powered equipment, the fuel can ignite. In electrical equipment, the motors can overheat and burst into flames. In mechanical equipment, the gears can become obstructed. In such circumstances, the above-identified method would not release the equipment from the harness in a quick, safe and efficient manner.
In an attempt to solve the problem, prior art mechanisms utilize tangs and brackets. These require the operator to first pull on a release cord and then push the equipment off a holding bracket. The use of tangs and brackets, however, does not reduce the amount of time and effort the operator must expend to release the equipment from the harness.